Adjustable back support



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1965 FIG. 2.

lllulrlllr F/GJ INVENTOR .'E. E/L czss on GZLJ A 5 ATTORNEYS June 1966 KARL-ERIK ELIASSON 3,255,468

ADJUSTABLE BACK SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1963 Ill IGJO.

INVENTOR l(.-E. E/L'asson Okwwa gmr ATTORNEYS United States Patent ADJUSTABLE BACK SUPPORT Karl-Erik Eliasson, Uddevalla, Sweden, assignor to AB Nord-Verk, Uddevalla, Sweden Filed Dec. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 328,385 Claims priority, application Sweden, Oct. 9, 1963, 11,036/ 63 Claims. (Cl. 5-327) This invention relates to a support of the type that can be adjusted to and fixed in various positions and used for a back or neck rest in chairs, easy-chairs or the like.

The main feature of the invention is that the support consists of a preferably rectangular holder provided with a pair of spaced bores in each or which an element serving as a friction means is loosely mounted, one of said elements being bent and having a vertical portion resting against the other element The free end portions of the elements are displaceable relative to each other, both elements being enclosed along a part of their length in a yoke that is provided with a locking device and is vertically slidable. Ina preferred embodiment one bore of the holder is slot-shaped to allow a certain horizontal displacement of the element loosely mounted therein.

The invention is described in more detail in the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a first form of adjustable back support for use with chairs, easy-chairs or the like,

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic rear view, in the direction of arrow 11 of FIGURE 1, of the support of FIG- URE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan view, along the line I-II III of FIGURE 1 and on a larger scale, of the support of FIGURES 1 and 2,

' FIGURE 4 is a side view, on a larger scale, of a part of the support of FIGURES 1 to 3,

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic side view, similar to FIG URE l, of a second form of adjustable back support for use with chairs, easy-chairs or the like,

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic rear view, in the direction of arrow VI of FIGURE 5, of a part of the support of FIGURE 5,

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional side view on a larger scale, of a part of the support shown in FIGS. 5 and 6,

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional plan view, on the same scale as FIGURE 7, along the line VIIIVIII of FIG- URE 6, and some parts having been omitted,

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional side view of part of a third form of adjustable back support for use with chairs, easy-chairs orthe like, and

FIGURE 10 is a view, similar to FIGURE 9, of part of a support.

The first form of support shown in FIGURES l to 4 includes two L-sectioned holders 10 each consisting of a fiat base plate carrying an upright rib 10A. The base plates are apertured so that the support can be secured by screws to the seat frame of a chair which is to be provided with the back support. This mounting is diagrammatically indicated by chain-dotted lines in FIGURE 2. The holders 10 are spaced apart so that the ribs 10A of the two holders 10 are parallel and upright. Each rib 10A has apertures in the form of a round bore 11 near one end and a bore in the form of an elongated slot 12 near the other end. An axle 13 is rota'tab'ly mounted in the bores 11 while another axle 15 is rotatably and slidably mounted in the slots 12. The axle 13 carries a first plate-like element 14, the axle 13 being secured to a lower edge of the element 14. The element 14 extends upwardly, away from the holders 10, towards a second plate-like element 16 carried by the axle 15. The element .16 is plane and the portion of the element 14 remote from the axle 13 is bent along a line parallel with the axle 13 so that theupper portion of the element 14 engages the upper portion of the element 16, there being face-to-face contact between the two elements 14, 16. The faces of the elements 14, 16 which are in contact are each provided with ridges 14A, 16A or the like (FIG. 4) to ensure a frictional contact between the two elements 14, 16.

As shown by broken lines in FIGURE 1, the free end portions of the elements 14, 16 are displaceable relatively to each other. Since the axle 15 is slidable in the slots 12, it is possible to move the element 16 towards, or away from, the element 14.

The portions of the elements 14, 16 which are in contact are enclosed, along a part of their length, in a rigid yoke 17 which is slid onto the elements 14, 16 to lock them against one another. The yoke 17 thus serves as a locking device. If desired, the yoke 17 can carry, on its front face, a cushion or extended plate shaped to form a support for a part of the human body. Such a cushion is diagrammatically indicated by chain-dotted lines 17A in FIGURE 1.

In use, with the yoke 17 removed, the free end portions of the elements 14, 16 are displaced relative. to each other, by effecting a forward or backward movement of the elements 14, 16 relatively to the holders 10' so that the elements 14, 16 pivot with respect to the holders 10, until a desired position of the element 16 is reached. The yoke 17 is then slid onto the elements 14, 16 to lock these elements against relative movement with respect to each other.

the yoke 17 serves as a locking device for locking the elements 14, 16 together. The second form of support shown in FIGURES 5-8 is similar to the first form and the like reference numerals have been used to denote similar parts. In this second form, however, the yoke -17 is freely slidable on the elements 14, 16 in the direction away from the axle 15 to the free edge of the element 16 and in the reverse direction. It is thus unnecessary in this case to remove the yoke 17 in order to adjust the relative positions of the elements 14, 16. 'I he yoke 17 carries a locking device which includes a bolt 19 screwed into a nut 18 welded to a cross-member 17' integral with the yoke :17. The bolt '19, when screwed into the nut 18 and tightened, bears upon the elements 14, 16 to clamp the elements 14, 16 against the opposite wall of the yoke 17. The elements 14, 16 are thus clamped together and the yoke 17 is maintained in a selected position upon the elements 14, 16. The bolt 19 may carry a 'lock nut (not shown) for locking the bolt 19 in its clamping position. It will be understood that the yoke 17 can carry a cushion such as the cushion 17A of FIGURE 1.

The third form of support of FIGURE 9 is similar to the first form in that it includes holders 10 and elements 14, 16 mounted in the holders 10 and cooperating with each other in the manner already described with reference to FIGURE 1. The holders 10 and parts of the elements 14, 16 have been omitted from FIGURE 9. In this form of support, the elements 14, 16 are, however, secured together by a modified form of yoke 17. In this construction the yoke 17 is sleeve-like and of elongated rectangular cross-section. The lower part of the sleeve-like yoke 17 carries an axle 20 and the upper edge portion of 'the yoke 17 rests against a compression spring 21, the other end of which is fastened in a casing 22, also of elongated rectangular cross-section, which is pivotably carried by the axle 20 and which encloses the yoke 17 and the upper free portions of the elements 14, -16. The front wall of the yoke 17 has an extended portion forming a leg 17".

The rear wall of the casing 22 has an extended portion forming a leg 2 2A, similar to and opposite, the leg 17".

It is to be noted that in this first form of the support The lower rear wall of the casing 22 carries an inwardly directed lug'24 of a material having a high coefficient of friction. The axle is between the spring 21 and the lug 24 so that the spring 2 1 urges the lug 24 to press on the element 14 and clamp the elements 14, 16 against the yoke 17. By dimensioning the yoke 17 and the casing 22 so that the length of the yoke 17 from the spring 21 to the axle 20.is about ten times larger, or more, than the length of the yoke 17 from the end of the yoke 17 adjacent the lug-24w the axle 20, the lug 24pressesthe elements 14, 16 against the yoke 17 with a force that is ten times larger, or more, than the force exerted by the spring 21.

During the use of the support as a back rest, the load P acts as indicated. by the arrow in FIGURE 9, and the pressure exerted by the'lug 24 on the elements 14, 16 increases as the load P increases. If it is desired to alter the dispositionof the elements 14, 16 and the position of the yoke 17 and casing 22 relative to these elements 14, 16, this can be done by pressing the legs 22A, '17 towards one another, as indicated by arrows in FIGURE 9, to compress the spring 21, thereby permitting the elements 14, 16 to move unimpeded in the yoke 17; When the desired position is reached, the legs 22A, 17 are released to lock the elements 1 4, 16 in this desired position.

The modified form of the support just described, which modified formis shown in FIGURE 10, is similar to the support of FIGURE 9 except that the legs 17.", 22A are omitted and the casing 22 is provided with a further in- Wardly directed lug similar to the lug 24. The lug 25 is carried by the wall of the casing 22 that is opposite the wall carrying the lug 24, and the lug 25 is disposed between the spring 21 and the axle 20; The lug 25 passes through a hole in the yoke 17 to bear onthe element 16. In this embodiment the spring 21 serves to maintain the elements 14, 16 in a set position when no force is applied to the support. During use, the elements .14, 16 are locked in position by the force exerted-by the load P against the casing 22. In order to free the elements 14, 16 the upper portion of the casing 22 is movedfin the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow P while, at the same time, the opposite lower portion of the casing is held. The spring 21 is thus compressed and the elements 14, 16 are freed. In this modified form of support, as in the support of FIGURE 9, the casing 22 can carry a cushion on its forward face. Alternatively, in the support of FIGURE 10, the casing 22 can be entirely concealed in a cushion.

The invention is not confined to the embodiments described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, but may be modified in several ways withinthe scope of the inventive concept.

I claim:

1. An adjustable support comprising:

ahorizontal holder having a pair of spaced bore holes therein; axles loosely mounted in each of said bore holes; a substantially straight rod-like element connected with one of said axles and extending above said holder; another rod-like element connected with the other of said axles, said other rod-like element being angled and having a straight portion extending an parallel adjacent relation to said first-mentioned rod-like element said first-mentioned rod-like element and the straight portion of said other rod-like element being axially displaceable relative to each other;

a yoke slida'bly enclosing said first-mentioned rod like element and the straight portion of said other rodlike element; and

locking means for locking said first-mentioned rod-like element and the straight portion of said other rodlike element against said yoke.

2. An adjustable support in accordance with, claim 1 wherein:

one of the bore holes in said holder is elongated to provide for horizontal displacement of the axle supported therein.

3. An adjustable support in accordance with claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises:

a nut carried by said yoke, and

a bolt threaded. in said nut and extending through said yoke and engaging said rod-like. elements.

4. An adjustable support in accordance with claim 1 wherein. said locking means comprises:

an axle mounted on one end of said yoke,

a casing rotatably supported at one end on said axle and enclosing said yoke,

a lug carried in said casing alongside the last-mentioned axle for engaging said rod-like elements,.and

a spring carried in said casing at the other end and engaging said yoke, said spring tending to pivotsaid casing whereby said lug is urged into contact with said rod-like elements.

5. An adjustable support in accordance. with claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises:

an axle mounted on one end of said yoke,

a casing rotatably supported at one end on said axle and enclosingsaid yoke,

a lug carried in said casing alongside the last-mentioned axle for engaging said I'Odellkfi elements;

a spring carried in said casing at the other end and engaging said yoke, said spring tending to pivot said casing whereby said lug is urged into contact with said rod-like elements, and

another lug carried by said casing and located between said axle and said spring, said yoke having an opening for receiving said other lug.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,685,326 8/1954 Lehman 29738O FOREIGN PATENTS 31,351 1/1908 Austria. 155,396 9/ 1931 Switzerland.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT COMPRISING: A HORIZONTAL HOLDER HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED BORE HOLES THEREIN; AXLES LOOSELY MOUNTED IN EACH OF SAID BORE HOLES; A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT ROD-LIKE ELEMENT CONNECTED WITH ONE SAID AXLES AND EXTENDING ABOVE SAID HOLDER; ANOTHER ROD-LIKE ELEMENT CONNECTED WITH THE OTHER OF SAID AXLES, SAID OTHER ROD-LIKE ELEMENT BEING ANGLED AND HAVING A STRAIGHT PORTION EXTENDING AN PARALLEL ADJACENT RELATION TO SAID FIRST-MENTIONED ROD-LIKE ELEMENT AND FIRST-MENTIONED ROD-LIKE ELEMENT AND THE STRAIGHT PORTION OF SAID OTHER ROD-LIKE ELEMENT BEING AXIALLY DISPLACEABLE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER; A YOKE SLIDABLY ENCLOSING SAID FIRST-MENTIONED ROD-LIKE ELEMENT AND THE STRAIGHT PORTION OF SAID OTHER RODLIKE ELEMENT; AND LOCKING MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID FIRST-MENTIONED ROD-LIKE ELEMENT AND THE STRAIGHT PORTION OF SAID OTHER RODLIKE ELEMENT AGAINST SAID YOKE. 